Vancouver Aquarium's Ocean Wise Sustainable Seafood Program is Expanding

By Kent Hurl

Vancouver, Canada - Today the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise sustainable seafood program announced an expansion, building on more than four successful years of rapid growth in working with the restaurant industry across Canada. Ocean Wise is responding to increasing market demand by launching a supplier program, and is proud to announce Albion Fisheries as the founding Ocean Wise supplier partner.

“Ocean Wise began as a program for Vancouver restaurants to source and serve sustainable seafood,” said John Nightingale, President of the Vancouver Aquarium.
“The response from consumers has been overwhelming. We are proud to take the next step in launching a supplier program to help make sourcing sustainable seafood for restaurants and markets even easier. Albion Fisheries is committed to providing sustainable supply choices and we are delighted to welcome them as our founding supplier partner.”

Albion Fisheries began working with Ocean Wise in 2006. The announcement of Albion Fisheries as Ocean Wise’s founding supplier partner recognizes Albion’s ongoing efforts and commitment to continuous improvements in offering sustainable seafood choices to their clients.

“Albion is committed to the health of the ocean and sustainability is a core value for us,” commented John Milobar, president of Albion Fisheries. “We’re delighted to be the Ocean Wise founding supplier partner. This agreement lets us take our commitment to offering sustainable seafood to our customers to the next level by showing leadership and increasing accountability throughout the supply chain.”

Jason Symington, Executive Chef, Panago knows firsthand the unique challenges faced by large chains working to make their environmental commitments a reality. “One of Panago’s biggest hurdles when we were searching for Ocean Wise approved shrimp for our menu was finding a supplier with sustainable products that could cater to our 170 locations across the country. Albion Fisheries commitment to Ocean Wise has enabled them to support our product requirements and still deliver on our large volume needs.”

About Ocean Wise™
The Ocean Wise logo is the trusted symbol of ocean-friendly seafood choices. Launched in Vancouver, BC in January 2005 by the Vancouver Aquarium, the Ocean Wise program has grown from a small, local initiative to a national program. Working with over 230 partners and 2,400 locations across Canada, Ocean Wise makes it simple to make environmentally-friendly seafood choices which are easily identified by the Ocean Wise logo. Learn more at www.oceanwise.ca

About Albion Fisheries
If you’ve dined at virtually any high profile restaurant from BC to California, shopped for seafood at supermarkets in B.C. or Alberta or visited the bustling fish markets in Vancouver, then you’ve likely enjoyed products from the largest seafood company in Western Canada – Albion Fisheries Ltd. Albion employs 300 people in Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary and the Queen Charlotte Islands and has a global customer base of over 2,000. Learn more at www.albion.bc.ca

About the Vancouver Aquarium
The Vancouver Aquarium is a global leader in connecting people to our natural world, and a self-supporting, non-profit association dedicated to effecting the conservation of aquatic life through display and interpretation, conservation practices, education, research, and direct action. Learn more at www.vanaqua.org

To view Vancouver Aquarium's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to: http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-40-Vancouver_Aquarium